1 What Is Chi? by Master Max Gaofei Yan Jude Brady Smallwood 2 This book is presented to you for informational purposes only and is not a substitution for any professional advice. The contents herein are based on the views and opinions of the authors and all associated contributors. Endless Forest Publisher West Palm Beach, Florida © 2013 by Max Gaofei Yan and Jude Brady Smallwood All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, used in a revival system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, digital, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher. Second Printing Edition July, 2014. eBook printing January, 2016. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not be, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. Printed in the United States of America The complete book of What Is Chi?/ Yan-Smallwood ISBN 978-0-9890737-0-7 3 Table of Contents About the Authors About Gyokukan Morita Prologue Forward Reading Tips Chapter 1 - What Is Chi? 1.1 What Is Chi So, Just Exactly What Is Chi? Where Does Chi Come From? 1.2 How Can You Sense the Presence of Chi? Three Basic Feelings The Difference Between Strong and Weak Chi Circulation Other Chi Sensations 1.3 How to Strengthen Chi Circulation 1.4 The Gap Between Eastern and Western Understanding Is Greater Than the Pacific Ocean Chapter 2 - Why Wuji Is So Important For Improving Health 2.1 The Meaning of Wuji 2.2 Reduce Tension to Help Chi Circulation 2.3 Strengthen the Kidney System to Produce More Energy 2.4 Easy to Enjoy 2.5 The Beginning of Internal Exercises 2.6 For Your Information Chapter 3 - Dan Tian Rotation, Massaging the Kidneys To Increase Jing (Hormone) Production 3.1 Other Ways to Stimulate the Kidney/Reproduction Systems 3.2 Even Within Internal Exercises, There’s “Internal-Internal” and “External-Internal” 3.3 Two Important Concepts of Xin Shen Pai The Concept of “Water on Top, Fire Below” The Concept of “Fire From Ming Men” 3.4 Dan Tian Rotation 1 General Definition of Dan Tian Rotation How to Rotate the Dan Tian with Footwork How to Rotate the Dan Tian with the Upper Body Conclusion 3.5 The Benefit of Dan Tian Rotation How Dan Tian Rotation Benefits Our Health How Dan Tian Rotation Effects Combat Chapter 4 - Dao Yin (With Ba Duan Jin) 4.1 Dao Yin Is One of the Oldest Calisthenics How It Started Not Just the Chinese Did This in Ancient Times In China Dao Yin Became a Profound and Extensive Exercise System Influence on Chinese Martial Arts 4.2 Different Goals of Dao Yin 4.3 Different Types of Dao Yin Analogy of Five Different Exercise Types 4.4 Choose the Right Exercise 4.5 Eight Piece Brocade Chapter 5 - Tai Chi Compared To Dao Yin 5.1 Almost All Chinese Martial Arts Are Dao Yin 5.2 The Wonderful Health Benefits of Silk Reeling Movement Open the Joints in All Directions A Unique Way to Stretch Ligaments and Tendons A Better Way to Maintain Physical Balance and Avoid Injury 5.3 Relaxing the Body to Open the Chi Channel 5.4 Sinking Chi Helps to Pump Circulation Good Circulation But Not at the Expense of the Heart Tai Chi Is a Perfect Exercise Chapter 6 - Tu Na 6.1 What Is Tu Na 2 6.2 Counting-Breaths Exercise 6.3 Guan Xiang 6.4 Nei Dan Nei Dan and Wai Dan A Very Significant Term from Wai Dan - Dan Tian How Breathing Can Give You New Feelings in Your Body More Sensations to Feel Why This Helps Even More What a Magnificent and Precise System Something to Be Careful Of Nei Dan Is the Root of Many Internal Training Programs 6.5 Hard Style Chi Gung What Makes People Really Notice Chi How Do They Do That? How to Train Common Mistakes The Limits of Hard Style Chi Gung 6.6 Zhang Mi, Secret Tibetan Buddhist Branch A Secret Style The Three Criteria That Determine This Style as Secret 6.7 Chanting How Chanting Works Three Elemental Sounds Chinese Sound Therapy 6.8 Six Sacred Sounds 6.9 Six Healing Sounds Chapter 7 - Tai Chi Compared To Tu Na 7.1 Breathing Techniques in Martial Arts Everybody Experiences Some Breathing Technique Five Basic Breathing Techniques in Chinese Martial Arts 7.2 The Difference Between External and Internal Styles 121 7.3 The Benefit of Tai Chi Style of Breathing 125 3 7.4 A Physical Vehicle to Bring the Mind to a Joyful State. 128 Enjoying Good Chi Circulation A Joyful State of Mind Chapter 8 - Important Acupuncture Points For Proper Body Alignment 8.1 What Makes a Style Internal 8.2 Human Architecture at Point Accuracy Level Point by Point Point to Point Conclusion 8.3 Correct Body Alignment to Allow Free Flowing Chi Point Accuracy Level to Sink the Chi The Feeling of an Opened Heavenly Circle Health Benefits from Proper State of These Acupuncture Points 8.4 Some Important Issues in Internal Martial Arts The Difference Between External Power and Internal Power The Problem with “Raising the Back” The Relationship Between a Straight Body and Relaxation Three Sections Opening and Three External Harmonies When Your Chi Is Sunk, Your Real Force Comes Up How to Study Forming This Kind of Proper Internal Alignment The Importance of Practicing More Wuji Meditation Even P.A.L. Is Not the End of Body Mechanics Study 8.5 Testing for Proper Alignment The Student’s Test for Alignment The Easy Way for a “Master” to Demonstrate The Real Way to Demonstrate Internal Alignment Chapter 9 - Internal Energy Classic 9.1 What Secret Does This Classic Hold? 9.2 How All Four Classics Were Found 9.3 The Core Substance of This Classic How to Drive Chi 4 Structure and Alignment Breathing The Key to Internal Force Conclusion Chapter 10 - Tai Chi Chi-Gung Exercises 10.1 General Information About Tai Chi-Chi Gung Exercises 10.2 How To Do and What To Feel Wuji Holding Balloon Dan Tian Rotation on a Horizontal Plane Dan Tian Rotation on a Vertical Plane Horizontal Chi-Pull Vertical Chi-Pull Exchanging Chi Return to Wuji 10.3 Review of Tai Chi-Chi Gung Benefits Chapter 11 - Progress Analysis Of Different Types Of Chi Gong 11.1 All Roads Lead to Rome 11.2 Five Major Phases How Nine Different Types of Chi Gung Progress Mental Capacity or Other Special Ability 11.3 One Might Be Better for You Than Another 11.4 Necessary Criteria for Internal Progression You Cannot Bypass Any Steps in the Program Using the Five Phases Charts When You Finish a Phase, Proceed to the Next One Health Care Choices The Limits of Medical Care The Limits of Exercising Sexual Energy and the Basic Drive Design Your Own Program Based on the Exercises in This Book 5 Chapter 12 - Ten Level Tai Chi Curriculum 12.1 We Need a Program for This Profound Study 12.2 Ten Level Curriculum in Tai Chi 12.3 Three Level Theory Chapter 13 - The Most Common Mistakes Made In Chi Gung Practice 13.1 Wrong Goals 13.2 Misinterpretation of Style 13.3 Losing Direction in the Process 13.4 Forced Breathing 13.5 Illusion Confusion 13.6 Applying External Concepts to Understand Internal Theories 13.7 Wasting Precious Chi Due to Over Enthusiasm 13.8 Lack of Practice 13.9 Inability to Apply Chi Gung to Life 13.10 False Chi Strengtheners 13.11 Escapism Instead of Realism 13.12 Regarding Chi Gung as a Religion Chapter 14 - Personal Experiences 14.1 Interview of Grandmaster Chen Quanzhong 14.2 Practice Journal of Mr. James Dees 14.3 Recovery Journal of Mr. Thomas Mullen Postscript Chinese Word Usage 6 About the Authors Master Max Gaofei Yan Master Max Gaofei Yan At a famous Taoist temple In Wu Han China called Chang Chun Guan (the “Long Spring Temple” 1994) A native of Guangzhou (Canton), China, Master Max Gaofei Yan graduated with a B.A. in engineering from Xi’an Jiaotong University, in Xi’an city in Shaanxi Province. As a child he suffered from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and in his teen years sought ways to deal with his affliction. He tried various forms of exercise and martial training under several masters until he found traditional Heavenly Chi Circle practice, which eventually eliminated his childhood affliction. Since then he has expanded his studies to other martial arts styles. Based on his own personal JRA recovery, Master Yan deeply understands the benefits of Tao exercises and other ancient systems. He has traveled to many places in China researching different styles of exercises like Tai Chi, Fu Gui Wuji, Yi Jin Jing, Ba Duan Jin, Red Palm Qigong, Baguazhang, One Finger Chan, Xin Yi and Huan Yuan to name a few. More importantly, his training as an engineer and his deep understanding of the philosophy of the Tao Te Ching (the most important book in the Taoist canon) allow him to understand and interpret myriad Taoist exercises in a clear, comprehensive, fundamental fashion. Master Yan is a contributing Editor of Internal Martial Arts Research as well as a contributor to Tai Chi Magazine and other literary media.